


a gentle glow

by julek



Series: and light was laughter [2]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 03:20:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29835216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/julek/pseuds/julek
Summary: “Your Witcher,” Geralt murmurs, “has had a lot of wine, and wants to go to bed.”Or, Geralt and Jaskier are drunk and in love.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Series: and light was laughter [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2193375
Comments: 19
Kudos: 209





	a gentle glow

The breeze is cool against Jaskier’s face, making his eyes flutter shut for a moment, his cheeks red and hurting from smiling so big. He only realizes he’s leaning against the doorframe when Geralt tugs on his sleeve, gentle eyes and a grin inviting him in. 

They’d spent the evening at Viola’s house — the one she and her partner settled for, after all. She had claimed they wanted adventure, hectic living and sights to see, but the coast had grown on them. Now, not a long way from the beach, their cottage was filled with warm light and pleasant laughter, as she and Charlotte enjoyed their summer. Food had been abundant and the wine, well — Jaskier hadn’t seen so many bottles be passed around since his youth, when cheap wineskins were shared in a group of cross-legged students. Every glass relaxed his shoulders and loosened his tongue a little more, the last rays of sunshine filtering through the windows and painting the faces around him gold. 

Geralt was relaxed, too. The ever-tense line of his jaw and the firm rigidity that clung to his shoulders had dissipated throughout the evening, replaced by gentle smiles and encouraging hums, instead. It suited him, carefreeness; seeing him swirl his glass of wine, the only question in his mind whether to indulge in another dumpling or wait for dessert, it made something in Jaskier’s chest give, a sweet, tender feeling washing over him. The way Geralt listened to the women’s travels with genuine interest and amusement, his arm casually draped over Jaskier’s shoulder, with no intention other than to feel his closeness. 

Later, after Charlotte’s delightful strawberry pie and some schnapps, the two of them had made their way home. Drunk on love and good wine, Jaskier felt light-headed as they walked hand in hand down the road, the sea shimmering blue under the crescent moon, the smell of salt and pine thick in the air.

“You sleepin’ outside?” Geralt slurs, snapping Jaskier out of his reverie. 

He looks beautiful, still, his shirt billowing and his pants unbuttoned to make room for more food. His skin glows against the moonlight, and the molten amber in his eyes feels like cozy nights and lazy mornings, all at once. 

Jaskier closes his eyes again, tilting his head and pressing the back of his hand to his forehead with a flourish. “It appears so,” he begins, his voice thick with lament, “if my Witcher has had enough of me.”

He can feel Geralt move closer, but the act must go on, so he keeps his eyes closed. He feels a soft kiss being pressed to his cheek. “Your Witcher,” Geralt murmurs, “has had a lot of wine, and wants to go to bed.” 

Jaskier opens one eye, unconvinced. “Well, then— who am I to stand between you and your needs? Go, if you must. I will be fine, here in the cold. I’m sure Roach will appreciate this humble bard’s fine company.”

Geralt circles Jaskier’s waist with his arms, leaning his weight on his body. He’s grinning against his neck, trying to find the words that keep escaping him. “My bard is being stubborn.”

“Hmm,” Jaskier considers. “He can be, sometimes.”

Geralt nips at his neck. “Come to bed.”

Jaskier lifts his hands, cupping Geralt’s face. He smells like wine and spices, and of clean summer sweat. He smushes Geralt’s cheeks together, ecstatic to get away with it so easily. He means to respond, to stall and get Geralt to stay awake with him a while longer, but he gets distracted. “You’re very pretty.”

Geralt grumbles something, but it comes out muffled and disappears into the night. 

“What was that, dear?”

Geralt puffs up his cheeks, and it makes Jaskier laugh so hard he has to remove his hands. Ah, so it was a trap. “ _You_ ’re pretty.”

The admission is so simple and honest it makes Jaskier’s heart leap in his chest. “Oh, darling—”

“Pretty annoying.”

Jaskier’s gasp of utter outrage makes the tide come in stronger. “You,” he says, still gaping, “are sleeping outside tonight.”

Geralt grins. “Am I?”

Jaskier clicks his tongue. “Naturally! You don’t deserve more, what, after being so mercilessly _cruel_ to me, who has been nothing but _loving_ , and _devoting_ , and— wait.”

Geralt hums in curiosity, his hands rubbing circles on the fabric of Jaskier’s shirt, his eyes closed. He seems one minute away from fully dozing on Jaskier’s neck.

“We are _both_ sleeping outside.”

“Huh?” Geralt’s eyes crack open. 

“Yeah!” Jaskier links their hands together, and drags Geralt out of the threshold and onto the lawn, tripping over his feet in enthusiasm. “Look!”

Geralt sits down on the grass and looks. “I don’t see anything.”

“ _The sky,_ Geralt!” Jaskier points his fingers up, up, up, where the moon and the stars are peacefully laid out. “It looks beautiful.”

“Hmm,” Geralt says, his cheek already mushed against Jaskier’s shoulder, eyes slipping close once more. If he were more awake, he’d be teasing Jaskier about his sudden decision to sleep under the stars, after decades of complaining of the hardships of laying on the ground. 

But it _is_ beautiful — the sea before them, with its rippling waves and dream-like sounds, the sky stretched out like a painting, black and white and immensely vast. Jaskier looks back, and there’s a candle burning in their kitchen — Geralt must’ve lighted it back when he intended to crash into their bed and sleep until noon — and it makes their home look inviting, welcoming. Warm. 

He looks at Geralt, who’s gently snoring against him, his hair following the pace the breeze has set. He looks at their hands, linked together by their pinkies; Geralt’s broken knuckle resting next to his lute-calloused thumb. He smiles. 

“Geralt,” he whispers into the night. 

“Mmm.”

“Are you awake?”

Geralt blinks up at him. “I am now,” he mumbles, and squeezes Jaskier’s hand.

Jaskier presses a kiss to his hair. “Do you want to sleep in a real bed? I know your back kills you, you old man.”

“Later,” Geralt says, pressing into the crook of Jaskier’s neck. “After the sky’s done looking pretty.”

Jaskier snorts. “You’re not even looking.”

“Mm,” Geralt concedes. “But you are.”

Jaskier’s heart jumps in his chest again. “I’ll wake you.”

“Thank you.”

Jaskier lets Geralt lean on him, his weight warm and comforting, and he, too, closes his eyes. Just for a bit — to hear the sea and the forest and the sky, all speaking at the same time. 

Later, when the sky still looks pretty but Jaskier’s eyes can’t stay open anymore, he’ll nudge Geralt awake. He’ll kiss his face and whisper _wake up, it’s time to go to bed_ , and Geralt will frown and shake his head, but he’ll stand up, let Jaskier lead him inside. They’ll walk up the stairs — one step up, two down, because they’re drunk and in love — and they’ll finally reach their bed, unmade and still warm from the afternoon sun. Jaskier will change into his nightshirt and Geralt will strip down to his underclothes, and they’ll find each other under the sheets, and their bodies will fit against each other like they’re meant to, after all these years. And they’ll kiss each other goodnight and Jaskier will blow out the candle, and he’ll run his fingers through the scar that goes from Geralt’s shoulder to his elbow, and he’ll press a kiss into his hair, and be grateful for another day full of light, and laughter, and love.

But for now, he feels Geralt laying against him, and lets the ocean melt into the sky, for one more night. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading <3 find me on [tumblr](http://julek.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
